Slipper



L. KRAMER Oct. 17, 1961 SLIPPER Filed Aug. 25, 1960 flIllllllllllllIlllllllllllllllll I I n IIIIIIIIIII!!! INVENTOR. LEWIS KRAMER M KW . ATTORNEY United States Patent "ice 3,004,354 SLIPPER Lewis Kramer, 6723 N. 17th St., Philadelphia 26, Pa.

Filed Aug. 23, 1960, Ser. No. 51,376

4 Claims. (Cl. 36-9) The present invention is directed to a slipper, and more particularly to a stretch-type slipper, which embraces both the foot and the ankle of the wearer.

It has been found that a stretch-type slipper has many advantages over other types of slippers. A stretch-type slipper will accommodate to various feet sizes, so that the slipper need only be made in a few standard sizes to cover the complete range of sizes of feet. A stretch-type slipper is most desirable for children since it permits a longer use of the slipper as the childs feet grow. Furthermore, a stretch-type slipper occupies a minimum amount of space for storage and is capable of being washed.

The great bulk of stretch-type slippers heretofore sold have been of the ped type. That is, such slippers embrace only the foot of the wearer, and do not extend up the ankle to any appreciable degree.

It has proven desirable to produce stretch-type slippers which embrace the wearers ankle as well as his foot. However, it is essential for the satisfactory merchandising of such slippers that the same be low in cost.

Stretch-type slippers having tubular cuffs affixed to the foot-embracing body portion of the slipper have heretofore been developed. However, stretch-type slippers while eminently satisfactory in performance are relatively expensive to produce due to the relative high cost of the tubular knit cuffs, and the means for providing stretch associated with such cuffs.

This invention has as an object the provision of a novel slipper.

This invention has as another object the provision of a stretch-type slipper which embrraces both the ankle and the foot of the wearer, and which is of relatively low cost.

This invention has as still a further object the provision of a stretch-type slipper of the aforesaid type which possesses long wearing characteristics.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary rear view of the embodiment of FIGURE 1 with the slipper turned inside out.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the slipper of the present invention.

Referring initially to FIGURES 1 through 3 inclusive, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts, the slipper of the present invention is designated generally as 10.

The slipper comprises a body portion 12, a sole portion 14, and a cuff portion 16.

The body portion 12 comprises a single piece of knitted fabric joined together along the seam line 18 which extends perpendicularly from the sole portion "14 at the rear of the slipper 10.

The cuff portion 16 is likewise formed of a single piece of knitted fabric, which may generally resemble the knitted fabric used for the body portion 12, or may differ therefrom, and is likewise joined together at the rear by the same seam line 18 which joins together the body portion 3,004,354 Patented Oct. 17, 1961 It will be seen that the seam line 18, which is preferably an overlock stitch, extends continuously from the top of the cuff portion '16 to the bottom of the body portion 12, namely to the part of the body portion 12 which engages the sole portion 14. The seam line 18 may be made in a single operation, and is preferably effected on a Merrow-type machine. Accordingly, it is seen that a single seam may be used to close both the body portion 1 2 and the cuff portion '16 along the seam line 18. The use of the seam line 18 permits both: (a) a fiat knit piece to be used to make the cuff portion 16, eliminating the need for a relatively expensive tubular knit cuff, and (b) permits the joining together of the free ends of both the body portion 12 and cuffportion 16 in one sewing operation.

The body portion 1'2 and the cuff portion 16 are joined together along the top of the body portion 12 and the bottom of the cuff potrion 16 by the seam line 20. The seam line 20, like the seam line 18, is preferably formed from overlock stitching, as overlook stitching permits the requisite degree of elasticity While at the same time providing a reliable seam.

The body portion 12 comprises spaced elastomeric threads, which confer the elasticity or stretch on the slipper 10. .The cuff portion 16 may likewise comprise elastomeric threads, as above-noted; or alternatively, may be formed from shirred knitted fabric. The degree of elasticity required of the cuff portion 16 is generally not as great as that required of the body portion 12.

The sole portion 14 is generally the type described in my copending U.S. patent application Serial No. 39,300 filed June 28, 1960, entitled: All Purpose Slipper.

Thus, the sole portion 14 is of a shape to cover the entire bottom of a foot. The sole portion 14 is preferably laminar in structure. The sole portion 14 comprises a layer 24 of open-cell foam polymeric material. For example, the layer 24 may be formed of polyurethane foam material, or other foamed polymeric material. A layer 26 of knitted fabric is provided on the uppermost surface of the layer 24, and a layer 28 of synthetic resin is provided on the lowermost surface of the layer 24. The layers 24, 26, and 28 are joined together so as to form the laminated sole portion 14.

The layers 24, 26, and 28 may be joined together so as to form the laminated sole portion 14 by cementing or by fusion. Preferably, the layers 24, 26, and 28 are fused together. Fusion of the layers is simpler, more economical, and more practical. cementing of the layers has been found to be somewhat difiicult because of the open-cell structure of the layer 24.

The layer of resin 28 should be flexible and should have good wear and scuff resistance. The layer 28 enables the slipper 10 to be worn outdoors as well as indoors. Preferably, the layer 28 of synthetic resin is made from a rubberized plastic material. As an example, to illustrate the relative thickness of the layer 24 to the layer 28, a ratio of five to one in terms of cross-sectional thickness may be utilized.

The lowermost edge of the body portion 12 is folded over and joined to the edge of the sole portion 14 by a seam line 30 of overlook stitching. The overlook stitching forming the seam line 30 extends through the layers 24, 26, and 28, and the overlapped edge of the body portion 12. In this manner, the seam line 30 is disposed within the slipper 10.

Since the layers 24, 26, and 2-8 are all of flexible material, they along With the body portion 12 are capable of stretching longitudinally. The elasticity of the body portion 12 and cuff portion 16 assures a snug fit about both the foot and the ankle of the user. The presence of the cuff portion 16 substantially eliminates the need for the wearing of socks by the user.

' Referring now to FIGURE 4, there is shown another embodiment of the slipper of the present invention designated generally as 10'. In the slipper embodiment 10' the construction is substantially identical to that of the slipper 10 shown in FIGURES 1 through 3 inclusive except that in place of the seam line 18 joining the free ends of the body portion 12 and the cuff portion 16 together, there is provided the seam line 32 which joins the free ends of the body portion 1 2 and the cuif portion 16' together. The seam line 32 extends along the front center line of the slipper 10 from the top of the cuff portion 16"to the front tip of the toe part of the body portion 12.

' The seam line 32 performs the same two functions heretofore set forth for the seam line 18. However, as of necessity, the seam line 32 must be longer than the seam line 18. In some applications the slipper 10' may prove to be somewhat more expensive to manufacture than the slipper '10, because of the somewhat greater labor expense involved due to the longer seam line.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing speci-fication as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim: a

1. A slipper comprising an open ended single piece knitted body porti n, a flexible sole portion stitched to the bottom edge of said knitted body portion, an open ended single piece knitted cuff portion stitched to the top edge of the knitted body portion, and a single continuous seam line of stitching joining together the open ends of said cuff portion and said body portion, said continuous seam line of stitching extending from the juncture of the body portion with the sole portion'to the top of the cuff portion at the back of the slipper.

2. A slipper in accordance with claim 1 in which the sole portion is a laminated structure including an inner layer of fabric fused to an intermediate layer of an open cell foam polymeric material, and said intermediate layer being fused to an exposed outer layer made from a synthetic resin.

3. A slipper in accordance with claim 1 in which the single continuous seam line of stitching comprises overlook stitching on the inner peripheral surface of said body portion and cuff portion. 7 v r 4. A slipper in accordance with claim 2' in which the single continuous seam line of stitching comprises over look stitching and in which the body portion includes threads of elastomeric material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS -41 New 

